Degrees and Programs
Degrees
The Jackson School offers the Bachelor of Arts in Geological Sciences, the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences, and, in partnership with the Cockrell School of Engineering, the Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology. Whichever degree they pursue, geological sciences students must take courses in the Jackson School, the College of Natural Sciences, and the College of Liberal Arts. These units work together to meet students’ individual needs and to ensure that they receive a superior education.
Programs
The University and the Jackson School offer the following programs to supplement the degree plans mentioned above.
Undergraduate Research
The University offers an opportunity for undergraduates to participate in state-of-the-art research, for University credit, with eminent scientists. If qualified, the student may also earn special departmental honors for exceptional research and may receive recognition through participation in the Bridging Disciplines Programs, or the annual Undergraduate Research Forum sponsored by the College of Natural Sciences. Additional information about undergraduate research is available from the Jackson School Undergraduate Student Services Office.
Certificate in Computational Science and Engineering
For information about this transcript-recognized certificate, see Certificate in Computational Science and Engineering. The Jackson School sponsors this program along with the Cockrell School of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Natural Sciences.
U-Teach Natural Sciences
The Jackson School participates in UTeach-Natural Sciences, an innovative teacher preparation program offered by the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Education that allows students to pursue middle grades and secondary school teacher certification within a four-year mathematics, science, or computer science degree program. While learning the subject matter of their majors, students also learn how to teach. Upon completing the program, students graduate with a bachelor’s degree and are recommended for a middle grades or secondary school teaching certificate. The UTeach-Natural Sciences program invites students to explore their interest in teaching as early as the freshman year. Through courses taught by some of Texas’s most respected secondary school math and science teachers, students learn quickly whether they are suited to the profession.
A description of the UTeach-Natural Sciences curriculum is given in UTeach-Natural Sciences; more information is available at the UTeach-Natural Sciences Office. In the Jackson School, the BSGeoSci, Option V: Teaching, prepares students to seek teacher certification.
Program Assessment Activities
Students in the Jackson School are required to participate in assessment activities related to maintaining accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, in addition to their required coursework. Students are exempted from participation only in extenuating circumstances and with the prior approval of the undergraduate faculty adviser and the Undergraduate Student Services Office.
Physical Activity Courses
Physical activity (PED) courses and Kinesiology 119 may not be counted toward a degree in the Jackson School. However, they are counted as courses for which the student is enrolled, and the grades are included in the grade point average.
ROTC Courses
The Departments of Air Force Science, Military Science, and Naval Science maintain ROTC units on campus. Information about each program is available from the chair of the department concerned.
Nine semester hours of coursework in air force science, military science, or naval science may be counted toward any degree in the Jackson School. Such credit may be used only as electives or to fulfill the writing requirement, and only by students who are commissioned by the University ROTC program.
Correspondence and Extension Courses
Concurrent enrollment is enrollment simultaneously at the University and at another educational institution or in University Extension. During a long-session semester students in the Jackson School enrolled at the University are not allowed to take courses at another school or institution or by correspondence or extension at the University unless specifically approved in advance by the Dean. Exceptions are considered on a case by case basis after the student meets with their academic advisor and submits a Concurrent Enrollment Petition to the Undergraduate Student Services Office in advance. Exceptions to this policy for math and science courses are considered only in extremely rare circumstances. No more than 30 percent of the semester hours required for any degree in the Jackson School may be completed online with by correspondence or University Extension.
Bible Courses
No more than twelve semester hours of Bible courses may be counted toward a degree.